Judy Johnson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Judy Johnson |
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Johnson at the 1924 Colored World Series
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| Third baseman | |||
| Born: October 26, 1899 Snow Hill, Maryland |
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| Died: June 15, 1989 (aged 89) Wilmington, Delaware |
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| debut | |||
| 1921, for the Hilldale Club | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| 1937, for the Homestead Grays | |||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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 Baseball Hall of Fame |
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| Induction | 1975 | ||
| Election Method | Negro Leagues Committee | ||
William Julius "Judy" Johnson (born October 26, 1899 – died June 15, 1989) was an amazing American baseball player. He was a professional third baseman and a manager. His career in Negro league baseball lasted 17 seasons, from 1921 to 1937.
Even though Johnson wasn't a big power hitter, he was great at hitting the ball well and playing defense. Many people think he was one of the best third basemen in the Negro Leagues. In 1975, he was chosen to be in the Baseball Hall of Fame. This was a huge honor for him.
From 1921 to 1929, Johnson played for the Hilldale Daisies. He was a respected leader on the field. His steady hitting and excellent fielding helped the Daisies win three championships in the Eastern Colored League. They also won the 1925 Colored World Series.
After playing for the Daisies, Johnson joined the Pittsburgh Crawfords. This team was known for having many talented players. He helped the Crawfords become one of the greatest teams in Negro League history. He retired from playing in 1937.
After his playing days, Johnson became a scout for Major League Baseball teams. He also worked as an assistant coach for the Philadelphia Athletics in 1954. This made him one of the first African Americans to coach in a major league team. Later, he helped choose players for the Baseball Hall of Fame. He passed away in 1989.
Contents
Judy Johnson's Early Life and Baseball Start
Growing Up in Maryland and Delaware
William Julius Johnson was born on October 26, 1899. His hometown was Snow Hill, Maryland. His father, William Henry Johnson, was a sailor and a boxing coach. His mother was Annie Lee Johnson.
When Judy was young, his family moved to Wilmington, Delaware. His father worked as a shipbuilder there. He was also the sports director at the Negro Settlement House.
Discovering Baseball
When Johnson was eight, his father tried to teach him boxing. But Judy didn't like it much. Instead, he loved playing sandlot ball (informal baseball games). He joined his father's local team, the Rosedale Blues. They played against both black and white teams.
In 1917, he left high school to work in shipyards. He also played baseball on weekends. He played for teams like the Rosalies and the Chester Stars. The next year, he joined a semi-professional team, the Bacharach Giants. He earned $5 for each game.
Playing for the Hilldale Daisies
Joining the Daisies and Getting His Nickname
In 1919, Johnson tried out for the Hilldale Daisies. He first played for their minor league team, the Madison Stars. By 1921, the Daisies needed an infielder. Johnson signed a professional contract with the team owner, Ed Bolden. He earned $135 a month.
Johnson got the nickname "Judy" because he looked like a pitcher named Judy Gans. This nickname stayed with him throughout his career. In his first year, he played shortstop. His manager, William Francis, played at third base, which was Judy's best position. Johnson struggled with hitting at first, but he worked hard to improve.
Becoming a Star Third Baseman
In 1922, Johnson became the starting third baseman. He learned a lot from John Henry Lloyd, a famous infielder. Johnson said Lloyd taught him how to play third base and protect himself. He learned more baseball from Lloyd than anyone else.
The Hilldale club joined a new league called the Eastern Colored League (ECL). The team also got stronger with new players like Biz Mackey.
The 1923 season was a great one for Johnson and the Daisies. He became a strong hitter and a team leader. Johnson was 5 feet 11 inches tall and weighed 155 pounds. He wasn't a power hitter, but he was very good at hitting the ball to open spaces. He was smart about getting on base, sometimes taking walks. On defense, he was known for his quick thinking and strong arm. The Daisies won their first ECL championship. Johnson hit an amazing .391 that year.
World Series Success
The Hilldale club won their second championship in 1924. They played against the Kansas City Monarchs in the 1924 Colored World Series. This was the first official World Series between the Negro National League and the Eastern Colored League. Johnson was the best hitter for both teams, with a .364 batting average. He hit a big Inside-the-park home run in Game Five. But the Daisies lost the series.
The next year, Johnson hit .392. The Daisies won their third straight championship. They returned to the World Series to play the Monarchs again. This time, the Daisies won the series easily, five games to one. Their team had many strong hitters and great pitchers.
After the season, Johnson started playing baseball in Cuba during the winter. The Daisies continued to be a strong team. They even played exhibition games against white major leaguers. Johnson earned more money from these games than from the World Series.
The 1930s and the Pittsburgh Crawfords
Moving to the Homestead Grays
The Great Depression made it hard for Negro League teams. Many teams struggled, and the Daisies had to stop playing for a while in 1930. At 29 years old, Johnson joined the Homestead Grays as a player manager.
While with the Grays, Johnson noticed a talented catcher named Josh Gibson. Gibson was known for hitting very long home runs. One night, during a game, the Grays' starting catcher got hurt. Johnson called Gibson from the stands to play. Gibson finished the season with the Grays. Johnson became his mentor, helping him practice and get into the lineup.
Joining the Legendary Pittsburgh Crawfords
Johnson managed the Daisies again in 1931 and 1932. Even though he was getting older, he still felt he could play well. So, he joined the Pittsburgh Crawfords in 1932. The 1932 Crawfords team is considered one of the greatest baseball teams ever. They are often compared to the famous 1927 New York Yankees.
The Crawfords' owner, Gus Greenlee, wanted the best players. By 1932, he had signed five future Hall of Famers: Johnson, Cool Papa Bell, Josh Gibson, Satchel Paige, and Oscar Charleston. Charleston was also the player manager.
Johnson continued to play very well with the Crawfords. He hit above a .300 batting average for five years. In 1935, he became the team captain. The Crawfords were expected to win the championship. They won the first half of the season. In a tiebreaker series, Johnson hit a key infield single to load the bases. Then, Oscar Charleston hit a grand slam to win the game and the championship.
In 1936, the Crawfords finished first again. Even though Johnson was still playing great, the team traded him and Josh Gibson back to the Homestead Grays. Johnson took this trade personally. He played only a few games in 1937 and then decided to retire from baseball.
Judy Johnson's Life After Baseball
Scouting and Coaching
After retiring, Johnson worked for a taxi company and managed a store. In 1951, the Philadelphia Athletics hired him as a scout. He tried to get the team to sign future stars like Hank Aaron.
In 1954, the Athletics made Johnson an assistant coach. He helped teach black players during spring training. Because his coaching job was short, Buck O'Neil is usually remembered as the first African-American coach in Major League Baseball (MLB).
Johnson continued scouting for other teams in the 1950s and 1960s. He helped teams sign players like Dick Allen and Bill Bruton.
Hall of Fame and Legacy
As one of the oldest living stars from the Negro Leagues, Johnson was asked to join a special committee in 1971. This committee's job was to choose great Negro League players for the Baseball Hall of Fame.
In 1975, Johnson stepped down from the committee. He did this to accept his own nomination into the Hall of Fame! He is known as the best third baseman in the Negro Leagues. Author Arthur Ashe said Johnson's playing was "the standard by which other third-basemen were measured."
His teammates praised his calm attitude under pressure. Judy Johnson had a stroke in 1988 and passed away on June 15, 1989, at 89 years old. His home in Marshallton was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1995.
Judy Johnson Field at Daniel S. Frawley Stadium is named in his honor.
